See And Believe Again
by NewRageInc
Summary: The panic that had been eating away at the edges of his mind was gone. The only thing that mattered at the moment was this girl, the sounds of living, and the smells of normalcy. He felt warm. Under reconstruction.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Destruction was a part of daily life. Death was no longer something he feared, more like embraced, it was what he knew was going to happen when all was said and done and he was prepared. All that Sasuke could do was be prepared when that time came.

'_I will fulfill my task and be done with life. That is my destiny, isn't that right nii-san?'_

He was prepared. The familiar feeling of the hilt of his sword soothed his racing heart as his sharingan activated to signal the beginning of the end. Sasuke set his jaw firmly and took a step forward out of the shadows that provided his cover.

"Sasuke!" Naruto ran forward, thrashing wildly, a bright determination Sasuke vaguely recalled reflecting in his eyes.

"Naruto…"

There was ringing in his ears, people screaming perhaps? He wasn't sure but when he tried to strike, his limbs suddenly felt numb, heavy, unable to move. A sharp pain shot through his skull and he felt his own weight become too much for his legs to handle. Darkness began edging it's way in to his vision and he sucked in a breath. A blanket of black over powering his inner voice that was screaming for him to get up and continue on.

More muffled screaming, now they were touching him, shifting him, shaking him, calling for him. How dare they? His mind was slipping away and though he tried to drag himself back, the urge to feel nothing overcame the want to fight.

* * *

Darkness, darkness was a suffocating factor. He couldn't open his eyes, he tried to move his arm but he found it feeling heavy. He felt as though they were being restrained by some unknown source. He wanted to grope around, to know where he was, but all there was, was darkness.

He could not see.

He could hardly feel.

'_Am I alive?'_

* * *

"Do you think you could do me that favor Hinata-chan?"

'_Who is that?'_

"A-ano Naruto-kun… I'll do my best."

'_Naruto…'_

* * *

He felt her presence, she sat on the wall opposing his bed. Whenever his body allowed him back to consciousness, he knew she was there. Sometimes she hummed out a syllable, softly, a melancholy noise he was not accustomed to. Most of the time it was because of the riffling of pages, a book she had brought in with her. He would breathe deeply and in the air, he often caught the slightest hint of earth, and an almost flowery scent.

He would often wonder why she was there, why even bother sitting with him? He was still restrained by unknown weakness and tied down physically to the rails of his hospital bed. It was obvious he wasn't _going_ anywhere. So then why?

'_Why bother?'_

On a good day he could listen to her soft breathing and subtle noises from where she sat for a good long while before the black over took him once more. Dragging him down to a thoughtless slumber. On a good day he would take notice of how difficult it was proving for him to open his eyes.

'_Too heavy…'_

But then there were those days when all he could feel was pain. There was an ache in his chest, where his heart should be if he had one. His head often throbbed with great force but he could not find his voice to express how he felt. All Sasuke could do was hope, pray, for that ever endearing darkness to take over him and drag him in to blissful nothing.

* * *

He had moved, Hinata was almost sure of it. She bit her lip and concentrated hard on the man laying before her. Naruto had entrusted his dearest friend to her, asked her to make sure when he woke, someone with a kind gaze would be waiting for him. Naruto had enough faith in her good heart to give her this task of waiting for Sasuke to wake. Her fists tightened in her lap as she watched Sasuke's chest rise in a great intake of breath.

'_Will he wake?'_She was on the edge of her seat with anticipation and when he exhaled she released a breath she herself had not known to be holding. Leaning her head back, she situated herself to continue her vigil and wondered when Naruto would be back from his current mission.

She was uneasy of this situation. The man named Uchiha Sasuke, the man who was unconscious and restrained, was a feared man. A man who had killed many to obtain power, a man who had betrayed her village, her people, her friends and as a part of the village, she herself. Hinata doubted her ability to forgive this man for all the pain he caused.

'_But it must be so sad… for him…'_Her gaze softened considerably as she watched Sasuke in his fitful state. There was what seemed to be a permanent grimace on his face, he was pale, and he trembled slightly from a fever she knew he was fighting. She groped her memory for all she knew about this man, and could not help the pity rising within her heart.

'_So much pain…' _

* * *

_This is a plot bunny. I do not know what triggered it, but I was talking to my friend and suddenly I had this urge to write. I've been attempting a fic in the naruverse for quite some time... I am caught up with the manga, I know where the anime is at, it's just still uncomfortable for me. I don't think there'll be much action in this since I'm still too timid to do fight scenes but we'll see. I'll finish TWCSWWA and dabble with Shattered and figure a proper plot out for this. I just want to write. That's all I want to do. Tell me what you think because this was on the quicks._

_~NewRageInc._


	2. Chapter 1

_I guess there should be some type of spoiler alert since I am going to referring to some things but now a whole bunch. I started writing this after chapter 483. Which is quite a ways in to the story so. There. That's my warning. Should I warn about something else? Maybe later._

_I do not own Naruto._

**Chapter One**

_Throbbing. Pain. A terrible pain as images of all that has occurred flashed through the darkness. His brother, Orochimaru's human experiments, his comrades. Blood. An enormous amount of blood. On his hands, his clothes, a pool of blood beneath him. Hot and sticky from just being spilled, the smell of iron pungent in the air. Death._

_There was an ache._

'_What is this?'_

The pain in his head was now joined by the ache. Growing with each beat of his heart, each intake of breath.

Darkness was suffocating and usually numbing, but now it screamed. Screamed, shrieking and encircling his mind. Surely if this continued he would go insane. Itachi's sorrowful gaze caused an intensifying of the ache. That look just before his elder brother had collapsed before him, dead. Gone.

'_Guilt?'_ He struggled with the concept. It had been so long.

Struggling, Sasuke was able to drag himself out of the depth of his inner mind. Floating near the surface of semi-consciousness. He concentrated.

'_She's still here.'_

His breathing steadied considerably, listening intently to this person's subtle presence. He heard the slight rustle of a page being turned. Fatigue set in, and he was lost to the world.

* * *

Hinata jumped slightly as the door swung softly open, revealing a slightly haggard looking Sakura.

"Hey, Hinata." Sakura walked in to the room slowly, trying her best not to disturb the peace though her presence seemed to charge the air around them. She flipped through a few papers clipped on a clip board but did not allow her eyes to rest on Sasuke's sleeping form. "How has he been?"

Hinata's gaze traveled to Sasuke's face which looked strained and sickly.

"He might… wake soon." Hinata's timid voice gripped Sakura's heart. She winced and allowed herself to finally set her sight on Sasuke, she sighed.

"You're probably right. It's been almost a month since…" Her sentence trailed off as she blew at the hairs resting on her face. Hinata smiled.

"Ne, Sakura-chan, you'll be glad when he wakes. He's finally… back." Sakura leaned on the wall next to Hinata's seat and rubbed her temples.

"You know Hinata, I don't think I'll be able to face him." She laughed ironically. "After all the things he's said and done… I was in love with him. I was ready to kill him for how much I loved him." She sunk down to the floor and raked her hands through her hair. "I've always been so sure." She whispered. "So sure of my feelings and now…"

Hinata wrung her hands in her lap. "And now?"

"I was ready to kill him in order to spare Naruto… Why? I'm still not all together sure myself. If anything, I know it was to take a more active role, to show that I've grown too but…" Licking her lips she glanced at the girl sitting beside her.

"_I was always chasing you… I just wanted to walk with you… I wanted to be with you. You changed me! Your smile saved me! So I'm not afraid to die protecting you! Because I love you…"_

"I guess I'm just nervous." Hinata hummed vaguely but dared not make a comment. Sakura stood and walked towards the door.

"Well I guess I'm going. Keep me updated Hinata-chan." With a final, fleeting glance in Sasuke's direction, she left the room. The door clicked softly and the peace of silence regained it's hold.

Hinata covered her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could. A familiar burning sensation of tears pricked at her eyes and her shoulders shook with great effort to restrain herself. She had known this was coming, even prepared herself while he was gone. Because when he departed, she had noticed the change. She had seen the change behind Sakura's eyes.

She felt the difference when green eyes were on her, watching her with a mixture of guilt and sadness.

They had become a team themselves, Naruto and Sakura. Of course it would only be a matter of time before Naruto's devotion would take effect. The charm of his new found maturity to cause Sakura's change of heart.

Hinata should have known better, she should have prepared herself _more_.

With her vision obscured, and being so absorbed with her thoughts, she did not notice Sasuke stirring. Did not notice as his body jerked in slight panic against his restraints.

There was an ever persistent weight upon his body, induced by sedatives and other pain killers. Now that Sasuke was so close to the surface of consciousness, the numbness slowly began to dissipate and he became more awake. Aware.

He moved his head from side to side, struggling with stiff muscles. Opening his mouth, he tried for a sound, but for lack of use his vocal chords could only produce a weak gasp. His lips were dry and his throat felt thick with mucous, so much so that he was unable to swallow. He tried for voice again, this time coughing a little more loudly, startling Hinata from her tears.

She leapt from her chair, dropping the book that had been resting on her lap, and went for the bed. Chewing on her nails lightly, she leaned over Sasuke's struggling form.

He already felt so fatigued and wanted nothing more than to drift back in to the darkness. But his mind screamed, not wanting to go back to the terrible images of his haunting past. The echo of his brother's ghostly voice would be there if he tried. His body screamed for some type of relief and he was not sure what to do, something was holding his arms firmly in their place, making him unable to search for some type of cure.

'_Get up!'_ Slowly, painfully, he opened his eyes. The light shocked him after weeks and weeks of complete darkness.

Vision still blurred, he was surprised to see a person standing over him. She watched him with a worried expression, hand clamped tightly over her mouth as the shock of his waking slowly going through her mind. Her eyes shone brightly, a pale shade of lavender, and the cream color of her skin gave her an angelic quality. What caught his attention the most, were the tears flowing freely down her face.

'_Tears…?'_ Eventually he was able to find his voice.

"Water…" He croaked. And she jumped slightly, rushing over to where a jug sat on a table, filling a cup and placing a bending straw in it. Her hands shook as she held the cup for him to drink.

Sasuke drank the liquid greedily, spluttering slightly but finding solace in the quick remedy to his dry mouth and throat. He heaved a sigh of relief as the cool liquid coated his throat and wetted his parched lips. When satisfied, he eyed Hinata thoughtfully before allowing fatigue to overtake his senses once more and he was pulled back in to the darkness.

Hinata continued to watch uncertainly before gasping and running from the room.

"S-Sakura-chan!"

* * *

Sakura narrowed her eyes at the charts before her as Shizune took a stethoscope and placed it on Sasuke's bare chest. The woman listened intently for a moment before moving away and scribbling something down in a file.

"How long was he awake?" Shizune asked Hinata in an authoritative tone.

"Long enough to ask f-for some water…" Shizune nodded, scribbling a few more notes before turning to Sakura.

"Well, it's something. We'll need to place a few more restraints on him just in case. You say he didn't struggle?" Hinata shook her head.

"I-I'm not even sure he noticed he was tied up."

"Alright well, it's better to be safe than sorry." She nodded again and put a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "Listen, I'm sure once he's awake everything will work itself out." Sakura nodded numbly as Shizune walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Hinata shuffled her feat uncertainly. Her body had reacted late and she felt guilty for not calling someone sooner so they could at least gain a few words from the stoic Uchiha.

"It's alright Hinata," Sakura said, noting the Hyuuga heiress' discomfort. "He'll wake up again." Hinata nodded weakly.

"I-it's late. I-I'll see you tomorrow, Sakura-chan." Sakura nodded again and continued ticking off vitals that were on her list to be recorded in Sasuke's file later. She heard the door shut softly and allowed her shoulders to sag heavily, tiredly, while her ears adjusted to the quiet whir of machinery and Sasuke's breathing.

She was not as startled as Hinata had been when Sasuke began stirring. She only looked on in mild surprise when his eyes fluttered open.

"You're awake." He narrowed his gaze but said nothing. "They'll be wanting to talk to you soon. They being the council as well as Tsunade-sama."

"W-where's that girl?" He chocked, mouth still feeling as though it were stuffed with cotton. He attempted to sit up but found himself bound with leather straps running across his chest.

"Hinata had to go home… It's pretty late." She eyed him anxiously. "You shouldn't try sitting anyway. You're condition has improved but not by much…"

"Why… the restraints?" Sakura snorted, reaching for a syringe.

"Well, obviously, they're not going to hospitalize an S-class criminal without proper precautions and constant supervision. As we speak, we're being watched. That's why I know the higher ups are going to be paying you a visit soon, so you should rest." Her nail clinked against the syringe, tapping it to make sure there were no bubbles in the injection. "This will help you sleep."

She found his forearm and injected him quickly, taking care not to touch him more than necessary.

"Tell them… I don't need these." He sighed, indicating the straps. "No point." Green eyes flicked over to his form as she began cleaning up her materials.

"You're not going to run?" Sakura had not expected this conversation to happen much less to be asking her former team mate this question. It seemed like she had already known the answer and was almost positive after the few moments of silence, that he would not bother confirming her thoughts. Her head shot up to stare when he spoke.

"No point." He repeated, tone void of emotion. She gawked at him until his eyes drooped due to the effect of the sedative she had just given him. Sakura finished quickly, and left in a flurry, shocked at his indifference.

She had always believed he would be in a rage after being caught. Determined to get back on the run and pursue the destruction of her village, what had once been _their _village, as he had intended a short time ago. So what was this turn? She recalled the gaunt look of his face, the dull hue of his eyes that had once been on fire with determination. Naruto could not have possibly beaten it out of him?

And what would this turn of events mean for him in the future? He was a criminal and many countries wanted him dead because of his association with Uchiha Madara and the blatant acts of evil. Sakura bit her lip. She couldn't help worrying for him. Even though they had spent more time apart than together, like Naruto, she still felt that bond from when they were young.

"_I'm sure everything will work out for itself…"_

Shizune was right. And besides. Naruto had been working too hard to just let Sasuke be executed.

'_Everything will work out in it 's own way.'_

* * *

"_What do you want little brother?"_

'_Want? I want? Revenge for you, Itachi. It's what I've been working on, what I've been striving for. All the sacrifices… The pain. It was all for you.'_

"_What you want and what I want are very different then. None of this would have happened… I blame myself…"_

"_Brother?"_

A cry of defeat. The scorching hot pain of a blade running through skin. More screaming. People running, the looks of fear on their faces. The once dark depths of his mind full of the people he had hurt, the people he had killed. This drug induced sleep giving identity to his inner turmoil and he only wanted all of it to stop. For someone to come and stop this from completely overpowering him, from taking away what sanity he had left.

He had to fight but with what? It was all his fault, wasn't it? These people were gone because of him, he had become a monster blinded by the rage of revenge. If anything he deserved every second. But still…

His mind screamed for redemption. A savior, anything to make this stop.

Someone do something. Help.

A soft intake of breath, the slight murmur of a voice called to answered his call. Sasuke willed his eyes open for a third time, the high after noon sun having been blocked by hospital blinds and not as much of a shock as it had been that first time. His gaze fell upon the timid form of a girl who's name he could not recall but who's presence he had grown to know very well.

She was reading the lines of a book she held to the light coming from the window. Her gentle voice encircling the room and wrapping him in a type of security blanket. He watched her steadily, making sure to keep still as to not startle her again as he found peace in the comfort she provided.

'_A savior, my redemption…'_

* * *

_I'll say this right now with no regrets:_

_This story is going to be fucking hard for me to write. If you want more detail with my struggles, ya'll can hit up my profile and laugh all you want. I need to review my maps (frown)._

_NewRageInc._


	3. Chapter 2

Note: As of a few days ago (can't remember when), I went a little insane again. I deleted all except the first two chapters of this story with the intent of giving it an overhall and loading it with a plot I thought up while listening to (you guessed it) more Flyleaf. This, I think, is a direction better suited for this story and besides, I just couldn't get into what I wrote three years ago. This chapter is short and sort of serves as an introduction to where I'm going with it. I apologize to those who wished to an end to what I had before. If you stop reading I understand. Thank you, though, for your continued support and patience. I announced this on my tumblr when I deleted so if you don't follow me I wouldn't mind if you did so we could be friends for a little while until you got annoyed with me and my copious amounts of posts that deal with frustration and my inability to write. Link is in my profile. I also promise to update sooner and finish this story quickly, but how many times have I promised that? Yours always. Wait, before I forget, this is also unbeta'd because I'm too busy and I'm sure Antoinette has other things on her plate right now but I promise she'll get it soon.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

It did not take long after Sasuke's awakening for him to be summoned by the Hokage. He was, hard to believe, a little surprised he had not been called for sooner. He supposed the Hokage knew he needed some time to recover from being in a coma for such an extended amount of time.

Either way, he had been waiting for the moment that ANBU would show up to escort him off the hospital grounds to his hearing. They gave terse instructions while placing a seal on his chakra as well as binding his wrists together.

"Don't try anything, we won't hesitate to kill."

He merely grunted in response, feeling annoyed, though not annoyed enough to actually bother with trying to escape. He knew he wasn't at full capacity in terms of power and was not stupid enough to attempt to break free. His forearm was grabbed roughly as the ANBU pulled him along through the corridors of the hospital.

It was still early enough in the morning where the hospital was quiet, only those nurses and medical ninjas milling about on their day-to-day duties. There were, none the less, enough of them to make him feel uncomfortable as they gawked at the procession.

'_I shouldn't though…'_

He was taken aback when instead of being led to the Hokage's office, where he assumed she would sentence him, they steered down a different corridor of the Hokage tower where he heard the distant murmur of many deep voices in hushed conversation. They stopped before heavy oak doors which the ANBU at the lead of their procession pushed open. The voices stopped as Sasuke was lead towards the middle of circular room. To his left was a platform at which the Hokage at four others were seated, all of whom were eyeing the Uchiha warily as he was seated at the center of the room and tied to a chair.

Sasuke returned their steady gaze before curiosity got the best of him and he scanned the rest of the room. It was set like an auditorium with seats cascading down to where he was. It seemed to be very full but with his appearance, the room had become deathly silent. Sasuke suddenly felt itchy with all eyes on him, he was glad his hands were restrained or he would have begun to fidget.

"Uchiha Sasuke, recently captured missing nin, do you know why you're here today?" Tsunade's voice dripped condescending and he fought the urge to roll his eyes.

"Treason? Murder? Attempted murder? Take your pick..." Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him and the people sitting beside her muttered to each other. She reached for a gavel and banged it on the table a few times to silence them.

"Right, never mind. Since your recent capture we have been trying to figure out what to do with you next-"

"You mean to tell me you're not planning on executing me?" An elderly man to Tsunade's right gave a huff.

"If we wanted you dead why would we have wasted time and resources keeping you alive in the first place! Continue with this disrespect and maybe you'll get your death wish!" Sasuke opened his mouth to agree with that wish but thought better of it.

"As I was saying," Tsunade straight here breasts and side eyed the man beside her, giving a silent warning not to interrupt again. "We've come to a decision. Uchiha Sasuke, as the last living Uchiha your blood is very valuable to us in these times of war. Not only that but you could also, if you are willing, provide us important information on our enemy. In conclusion, the Village of Konoha would like to strike a deal with you Sasuke. Surrender yourself to us and our whims in exchange for your life and freedom."

'_That is what she calls freedom?'_

"Why should I consent to a bargain like that?" He couldn't help the anger in his voice. "Is that the kind of ultimatum you gave my brother when he was _thirteen_?" The silence broke as the observes became unnerved by the comment.

Tsunade's glare was icy.

"What does it matter the dealings we held with Uchiha Itachi. You are the one who killed him, are you?" Sasuke glared back at her, all of the anger he felt towards the village bubbling to the surface. He spat on the ground.

"Kill me if you like but I will never put my trust with this village again."

The crowd moved restlessly in outrage and the man who had spoken out before looked just about ready to jump down and choke Sasuke with his bare hands. What did it matter to him though? It was true, wasn't it?

Tsunade banged her gavel before giving up on that and shouted.

"Silence! If this is the decision you are going to make then unfortunately we have no choice but to send you to prison."

ANBU descended upon him as the crowds grumblings turned into an uproar.

"I told you this was a loss cause Hokage-same." He saw as an elderly woman towards the back of the group with the Hokage came up behind her to give Sasuke a look filled with loathing. "He's just like the rest of that clan, a poison to society."

* * *

"So did you hear the news?" Hanabi had barged in to Hinata's room and jumped on to her sister's bed. Hinata pulled the cover up over her head only to have them yanked off of her rudely. Hanabi started bouncing on her knees.

"They've sentenced the Uchiha to prison! I heard one of the maids talking about it in the kitchen." Hinata sat up and studied her sister's gleeful expression which soon turned sour at Hinata's lack of reaction.

"Prison?"

"I know it doesn't make any sense! He's a dangerous and wanted man having been involved with Orochimaru for all those years and then joining that crazy masked psychopath!" Hinata bit her lip, her heart beating heavily against her chest.

"They're just going to keep him there like that?"

"Yeah, so?"

"I have to get ready Hanabi."

It was all the village could talk about it seemed. Hinata had always been well aware of the fact that everyone in the village had an opinion of him, she just never thought she would be sick of hearing about it.

"I don't know why Hokage-sama doesn't just call for his head. I think this village deserves compensation for what he's done to us!"

"Personally I'm just glad he's not out running loose. It certainly took them long enough to find him."

She found herself feeling annoyed, which was quite rare and unusual for her, usually she would be bothered but not enough to become upset. She couldn't help recalling the pale face she had watched come back to life not but a few days ago. She was pulled out of her revere when she noticed someone calling out to her.

"Hinata-chan," Sakura shouted, slowing her job as she approached the girl. "Good, I went looking for you at you house but they said you had stepped out. Tsunade-sama has summoned you." Hinata furrowed her brow.

"A mission?" Sakura shook her head, her hair flying wildly around her pale face.

"Ie, she wants to speak to you. I would guess it has something to do with Sasuke…"

'_But why?'_

The pair walked together in silence, speaking only when they separated at the Hokage's door.

Hinata rapped gently on the door. Tsunade's voice bid her entry and she pushed the door open.

"Ah, Hinata-chan, good. I've been meaning to speak to you, please close the door." She did as she was told but kept a fair amount of distance between herself and the Hokage's desk. She never felt comfortable around authority figures, usually thinking back to her father and his constant disapproval of her career as a kunoichi. Tsunade did not bid her to come closer but merely laced her fingers together and slouched against her desk. "I understand that Naruto asked you to keep a close eye on his friend while he was away."

"Hai."

"You have, as I'm sure, heard about what has happened to Sasuke since his awakening?" She nodded again, affirming in a softer tone that yes, she had indeed heard the news. "I'm not entirely sure how well informed you are on this situation but I suppose it'd be best to summarize it for you. The reason we decided to keep Sasuke alive was not just to keep Naruto and Sakura happy. I knew he'd be of more use to us alive than dead and he is also the last living person holding the genetic properties of the sharingan. I convinced the elders that we could strike a deal with him, his cooperation with our war effort for his freedom. I knew he was smart, or at least sensible from what I've heard about him, I was a little taken aback when he refused though I'm not too sure I can blame him. He's having a hard time trusting us since it seems as though he's somehow found out about what really happened between his brother, our village, and their clan." There was an air of regret to her words as she spoke them. "So now we have a very powerful prisoner on our hands who does not seem to want to cooperate with us."

"I understand the severity of the situation Tsunade-sama but… I don't understand why it was necessary to share this information with me." Tsunade studied Hinata for a moment before proceeding.

"You were the first person he saw when he woke up."

"Y-yes…"

"I don't want to hurt Sasuke, Hinata-chan, not more than we already have… I need to gain information on him about our enemy. He has been working closely with them now for some time and now that he is in our possession it would be unwise for me to allow him to go on as he is without attempting to extract this information by any means possible…"

Hinata knew what this meant and her eyes widened in fear for the young man that she had, for many years, only known by sight.

"So I hope you'll understand that I feel pity in this situation and would like to avoid more pain despite what he's done. When one is young one tends to do foolish and foolhardy things. This is why I've called you here Hinata-chan. You are a person he is familiar with but has no reason to hate-"

"Ie, he does have a reason to hate me…" Tsunade raised her eyebrows in order for her to continue. Hinata couldn't help pushed her fingers together nervously and lowering her gaze before going on softly. "I am a part of this village and a loyal warrior to you Hokage-sama. I am his enemy just as anyone else here… Though I do not understand his contempt I am prepared to fight him if it means to protect our people." Tsunade smirked.

"You are a good ninja with a good heart, Hinata. This is why I think I can trust you with this. I have no desire to torture Uchiha but I do need to know what is going on in that pretty little head of his. I've decided to ask you to gain his trust and as much information as possible. If you do not succeed in one week then I'll be forced to resort to the alternative."


	4. Chapter 3

_Short chapter. Standard disclaimer. I make no money off of this what so ever._

**Chapter Three**

Sasuke had to say that being in prison was a little more difficult than he had initially anticipated. He was glad for his ability to appear impassive because he knew that any sign of his breaking would bring great joy to the ANBU surveying him as well as those along the grapevine waiting to hear about his demise.

The cell they had placed him in was dark. There were cracks in the paint and the faucet had a leak that he was sure costing the village a great deal of water since it didn't seem as anyone other than him had noticed it. The sheets he was provided were thin and itchy and were none too comfortably in his overly hot box of a room.

The set-up was that of a stereotypical jail cell. Three cement brick walls and one wall of bars that held the door. There was a small, rectangular window to the far right corner of the back wall of the room. There was a chair set across the way from the barred wall where the ANBU usually took turns watching him. He knew there were more stationed around the perimeter, he could sense their eyes carefully trained on him in his cell.

Though what exactly they expected him to do he wasn't all too sure.

He had contemplated trying to escape, he was sure he could if he really wanted to but it was what he would do when he was finally free that was the real question.

His team was, for all the he knew, dead or long gone. Obito and Madara were all set on bringing about the end of the world. He supposed he could join them but he was also pretty sure that Naruto could not defeat him despite the power he had behind him. He realized he could just sit tight until the end came about.

That would be pretty convenient actually.

He would have a hard time describing how he passed his time in his new cage.

He took note of whenever the guards would change shifts but other than that there was no real way to tell time aside from whether or not light was peeking through the small window. Some kind of seal had been placed along his wrists that blocked the better part of his chakra. He supposed if someone had honestly asked how he spent his time he would respond that he did nothing. He was also slowly losing interest in the activity that happened about him. He had no appetite for whatever bland food they offered him.

Even if he tried after the second or third bite he could feel the bile slowly burning at the bottom of his throat. He could, perhaps, stomach a few mouthfuls of food on a good day and maybe a few sips of water on the worst.

He was having a bad day on this particular day.

Sasuke had only vaguely noticed the movement going on about him. It seemed as though his guard dogs were agitated for some reason. He closed his eyes, perhaps if he pretended to sleep he would eventually actually sleep…

* * *

Hinata wiped her brow with her sleeve. The heat outside was almost unbearable, she had started the day with her long hair down her back as it usually was, but within the first few minutes of her walk to the prison she opted to tying it up.

It seemed as though the ANBU in charge of Sasuke had been warned and were expecting her at the door when she arrived. A masked ninja had ushered her in before him and began debriefing her of Sasuke's situation and behavior for the past two weeks in their custody. She tried to make mental bullet points of the most important of the information.

Based on what this ninja was reporting it seemed as though Sasuke has fallen into some kind of depression?

Her brow wrinkled at that. From what the Hokage had described to her of his trial it seemed as though Sasuke was very much still full of rage and it was puzzling to her why he would be in this state. She would have assumed he would have at least attempted to escape by now at least once.

She was lead down a set of stairs and down a corridor. Hinata noticed that as they kept moving further into the building, the amount of natural light seemed to diminish. Finally the man stepped aside and allowed her into a smaller room, the door closing heavily behind him with a defining clank. The room was dimmer than the hallway had been, a bare light bulb illuminating the small area before the cell. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust.

She took note of the state of the cell. It wasn't dirty, per say, but it was extremely dark and had seen better days. There didn't seem to be much room to move about and no privacy seeing as that she and her companion had joined another guard who was apparently on watch.

Even so it took her a moment to discern Sasuke's still form in the darkness.

"He's asleep," she breathed, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over them.

"It's okay to wake him though, he sleeps enough as it is," the man who had lead her in grunted, nodding to the other ANBU. Hinata felt the hair on the back of her neck stand, as though whoever else was watching this room were suddenly tensing.

The guard took a key from one of his pockets and unlocked the cell. He moved forward and none too gently shook Sasuke awake.

"Hey! You have a visitor!" He walked back out to the hall and locked the door behind him as Sasuke sat up.

The first thing Hinata noticed was how much more pale he seemed. His cheek bones were much more prominent than she had remembered them to be and there were deep, dark circles under his eyes. No, being imprisoned had not done well on the Uchiha Avenger.

Both ANBU stepped back and it occurred to her that it was now all on her, since she is the reason Sasuke was being awoken in the first place. She took a quite deep breath.

"Hi… Sasuke. Do you remember me?" He seemed utterly bewildered as he studied Hinata with narrowed eyes. He blinked at her a few times, perhaps trying to place her face that may only be vaguely familiar to him.

"No," he finally rasped. Hinata, wary of the ever watchful eyes around her, made sure to move slowly as she looked around the room. She spotted a pitcher of water and a glass.

"My name is Hinata Hyuuga and… We graduated from the Academy together. I'm just here to talk. Would you like some water?" His eyes remained narrow.

"No."

"Oh… Well, do you remember me now?" He snorted and leaned back on his cot.

"Are you here to interrogate me or something?" He closed his eyes and failed a suppressing a yawn. "So stupid…" Hinata winced but stood her ground.

"I'm not here… to interrogate you. I just thought you wouldn't mind… having a little company." It was a blatant lie and she could almost feel the two men behind her sharing a side long glance when those words came out of her mouth.

"Well welcome to my humble abode, Hyuuga. Make yourself at home." He was mumbling now and she could tell he was losing a battle to sleep. She looked back to the guard who had been there when she had arrived who merely shrugged. The one who led her to the cell sighed and walked out only to return a few moments later with a chair.

Hinata took the offered seat and the ninja grunted.

"Call when you want to leave."

She nodded and settled in to watch Sasuke sleep, much like she did when he was still incapacitated. She bowed her head and rubbed at her temples. This had to have been the worst this visit could have gone.

'_No, no, you have to be more optimistic. He could have been a raving lunatic. Now _that_ would have been something to deal with and would have probably not ended well.'_

Hinata still felt confused as to why the Hokage would trust her with such an important and time sensitive mission. She watched the steady rise and fall of Sasuke's chest as he slept and made up her mind. She would be back after this and she would be back often.

She was going to succeed.


End file.
